Council approves purchase of new firetruck

Following its 20-year replacement schedule, the Dyersville Fire Department has been given the green light to purchase a new pump truck, which is expected to arrive sometime in Spring 2021.

Fire Chief Al Wessels said the department will be working with Toyne Fire Equipment out of Breda to build a new pumper truck with a stainless-steel body that will sit atop a Freightline four-door chassis. The new truck will seat five and house a 1,500 gallon-per-minute pump along with inside ladder storage.

The Community Fire Department, which provides fire protection to surrounding rural communities and is funded separately through taxes paid by rural residents but is still housed in Dyersville’s station, will also be purchasing a new sister truck.

The two current trucks that are slated to be replaced, one belonging to the Dyersville F.D. and the other to the Community F.D., are both Toyne models that were purchased in 2000.

Wessels said if they go through a broker, they are guaranteed to get $25,000-per-unit for the old trucks, but he added they do have the option to sell the trucks on their own.

But, Wessels said, there isn’t much of a market for selling firetrucks, so anything they could potentially get above the $25,000 broker prices would be seen as a bonus.

“But the trucks we do have are going to be an upgrade for somebody,” Wessels said. “Our community has grown enough that I think we need to have something more reliable and updated.”

Wessels said while they are getting a better price because both trucks are being built at the same time, there is a lot of value in getting two identical units.

“All the controls will be exactly the same, so if you know how to operate one truck, you know how to operate both,” Wessels said. “With volunteers meeting once a week, or currently on a very limited basis with all the activities happening, having the knowledge to operate both will beneficial.”

City Administrator Mick Michel said staff is viewing this as a long-term investment, so the purchase will likely be done through the bond process.

With the levy rate and city debt both being low, Michel said this is an opportune time to spread the cost out over several years instead of paying cash.

Wessel said the new units will likely be a foot or so longer than the current units but will still fit in the current fire station without modifications.

“I don’t see the city needing to purchase a new unit for at least 10 years, maybe even longer than that,” Wessels said. “An upgrade to the ladder truck would probably be the next thing but that’s down the road a way I think.”